Conde Nast names surfer’s paradise Siargao as best island in Asia

Siargao
A clear, calm sea away from the surfing breaks on Siargao. Picture via Wikimedia Commons.

Renowned surfing destination Siargao has been named as the best island in Asia by an international travel magazine. 

Conde Nast Traveler’s Top Five in Asia is dominated by the Philippines, with Boracay taking the number two spot and Palawan coming in third. The other two slots are filled by Langkawi in Malaysia and Bali.

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The magazine describes the island as “teardrop-shaped” and says it is “home to more than 15 separate surf breaks, including the legendary Cloud 9″.

Despite it currently being closed for ‘environmental rehabilitation’, participants in the Readers’ Choice Awards survey still rallied behind Boracay. 

Describing the island, the magazine says: “This itty-bitty island… is as close to a tropical idyll as you’ll find in Southeast Asia, with gentle coastlines and made-for-Instagram sunsets. Fold in a thriving nightlife scene, and you have one of the top tourist spots in the region.”

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However, as we have reported, future visitors to the island — which is due to reopen on October 26 — may find the nightlife to be anything but “thriving” due to strict new rules and guidelines. 

The magazine’s description of Palawan dwelt upon its “otherworldly” underground river. This, it said, made a trip to the island worthwhile in its own right.

Last year, Conde Nast published two lists of the world’s best islands, in both cases naming Boracay, Palawan and Cebu as among the best. A separate survey on the world’s best surfing spots was headed by Siargao’s Cloud Nine Beach.

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The latest rankings, published on Tuesday (October 9) were presented in a regional format, with a top five from each part of the world. 

The other islands singled out for praise — excluding the USA, which has a separate list — were: 

Australia & the South Pacific

  1. Whitsunday Islands, Australia
  2. Bora Bora, French Polynesia
  3. Moorea, French Polynesia
  4. Tahiti, French Polynesia
  5. Fiji

Caribbean and the Altantic

  1. Bermuda
  2. St Vincent and Grenadines
  3. Aruba
  4. Cayman Islands
  5. Turks and Caicos

Europe

  1. Mykonos, Greece
  2. Crete, Greece
  3. Paros, Greece
  4. Ischia, Italy
  5. Ibiza, Spain

North America

  1. Isla Holbox
  2. Prince Edward Island, Canada
  3. Cape Breton Island, Canada
  4. Vancouver Island, Canada
  5. Isla Mujeres, Mexico

Rest of world

  1. Maldives
  2. Mauritius
  3. Galapagos Islands, Equador
  4. Seychelles
  5. Zanzibar, Tanzania

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